Nothing Else Matters
by VampedVixen
Summary: A stranger comes to Skool and Gaz forms a strange attraction. (Part 1 of many)
1. Default Chapter

Author's Notes: This is a work in progress, I'll be uploading chapters every other day, so make sure you keep checking back or DOOM SHALL BEFALL YOU ALL!   
  
Mindless Note: Heehee, I was at my friend's graduation today singing the doom song to "Pomp and Circumstances" isn't that just so fitting? And then later I said, "Esther, you little graduate, heed these words of advice wisely *starts singing the doom song again*"   
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, I'm not that messed up!, so don't sue.   
  
Title: Nothing Else Matters  
  
Author: Celtic Air, who wants to know why she's writing so much Zim-fic anyway... weird obsessive compulsions!  
  
CHAPTER 1:  
"Class," Miss Labonita said in a sickeningly cheerful voice, in compare to Ms. Bitters Dib's tenth grade teacher was Martha Stewart. "I would like to introduce you to your new classmate."  
  
Dib picked his head up from the metaphysics book he was reading. Subconsciously he looked towards Zim, there must have been some mix up with the school computers because they were always in the same class. Then he looked up at the tall new classmate, inquisitively. Why did all his misadventures start with a being introduced to a new classmate? Well, this one would be watched very carefully.  
  
"Hello, I am Mal Colm. I just moved here from Long Island. To introduce you to me I have prepared a short demonstration that Miss Labonita has been kind enough to let me show you."  
  
Dib steadied himself and prepared for the worst: hypnotism, alien warfare, a really long and boring talk about Mal's life. He was happily surprised though when Mal started a slideshow of flying saucer photographs he had taken himself. The pictures were all extraordinary well shot and Mal continued the demonstration by listing various paranormal groups he was involved with: Ghost Hunters of America, Sky Chasers, Aliens-are-among-us.com.  
  
"Any questions--" Mal was cut off by the school bell ringing and ending period 3.  
  
The students milled out of the classroom and Dib took the opportunity to run up to Mal and shout out, "Hello, fellow alien hunter, Did you know that there is an actual extraterrestrial being right here in this school, under the same roof we're standing under right not?! Help me nab him and I might just let you share my discovery."  
  
"I'm sorry, what was your name?"  
  
"Dib," He looked up expectantly.  
  
"Ah, yes... Dib," Mal seemed positively bored, "Well Dib, you are an amateur. I do not work with amateurs." He started to walk away but Dib went after him.  
  
"But I have proof!"  
  
"Yeah, that's what all the crazies say," Mal walked out into the throng of students in the crowded hallway.   
  
"..but I have proof..." Dib whispered unhappily to himself as he watched his hope vanish. Of course the other students never listened to him, but they were just clueless to their environment. He could understand that he supposed. Still, how could another hunter like himself turn away from substantial evidence, not even to look at it, a brief glance, one second... it was all Dib was asking for. "They'll never listen."  
  
  
  
At lunch that afternoon, Zim was eating lunch with Gaz. It has become a daily ritual for them by now. They would meet for lunch and discuss how to piss Dib off the most. Their discussions had led to some interesting situations for Dib to get himself out of, but it was all in fun... at least, most of it was. Still, truth was Zim still hated the little alien hunters' guts.   
  
"So, what do you want to do today?" Zim queried.  
  
"What do YOU want to do today?" Gaz returned the question without even looking up from her gameslave, "Besides disembowel my brother?"  
  
"Ooooh! I like that idea!" Zim smiled at her playfully, "We could make a game out of it!"  
  
"How about you just come over my house and play Death Robot Killer Avengers with me?"  
  
Zim paused. This was it! The moment he had been waiting for years to experience! He had been invited over Gaz's house! Today! "Uh.. sure, I--I guess, um... okay?"  
  
Gaz laughed and paused her game to tease him, "You may be an Irken Invader, Zim, but you're still shy around girls. Can I just say: Awwww..."  
  
"Stop That!" Zim blushed purple, trying to take back his authoritative pride.  
  
"Awww..."  
  
"Stop It!" He kicked her under the table.   
  
She kicked him back and then they started a rather violent game of footsie.  
  
That is until Dib slammed his bookbag on the cafeteria table, "I hate him!"  
  
"Oh, coem on, Dib, we weren't doing anything, were we Zim," Gaz threw Zim a kiss. She sure did love to piss Dib off.  
  
Dib forced himself not to gag. "Not him," He said gesturing to the Irken, "Well... not so much, at least today. No, today I have reserved all my contempt and hatred for HIM!" He pointed over to Mal, who was surrounded by crowd of adoring fans, all who wanted to hear tales of tracking ghosts, goblins, and aliens. "You know, he probably just gets al his stories from 'Mysterious Mysteries'."  
  
Zim chortled maniacally, "You, brain deficient earthling can't even get one of your own kind to believe you! PATHETIC!"  
  
"Just wait, Zim," Dib narrowed his eyes at the alien and then marched out of the cafeteria.  
  
  
  
The last bell of the day rang and the students stampeded out of the school. Gaz went to her locker and found some tall, dark stranger leaning against it. On further inspection she saw that it was the new kid Dib had pointed to before.  
  
"Would you kindly remove yourself from my way before I beat you repeatedly over the head with your arm?" Gaz curtly tried to push him out of the way.  
  
"What's the hurry, precious?"  
  
"Did-- did you just call me 'precious'?"  
  
Mal nodded.  
  
Gaz swiftly kicked him in the nuts.  
  
He gasped and collapsed while Gaz just stepped over him and opened her locker.  
  
Then Mal stood back up and used his hand to slam the locker shut, luckily Gaz hadn't been in the way. "You're awfully 'spry'."  
  
"Do you really need another kick?"   
  
"Oh, come on, I'm just making conversation here, pet. OWW!" He had received another kick. While lying on the floor he deiced it was best to try and change strategies, "I've brought you a gift, Gaz." Mal opened a jewlery box and a necklace with a glowign stone stared up at her.  
  
Gaz was mesmerized instantly, it was beautiful and it was calling to her.  
  
"Would you like me to put it on you?" Mal paused and waited for Gaz to nod. With nimble fingers he put it around Gaz's neck and closed the clasp.  
  
The stone's glow seemed to enter Gaz's body for a second, after that it looked like an ordinary diamond.  
  
"Come home with me, Gaz," Mal ordered.  
  
Like a giggling schoolgirl, she draped her arm over his. They left the school together.  
  
  
  
Zim had been waiting outside for Gaz to come out and walk with him to her place. Hen he saw them, they almost looked like a cheerleader and head football player.  
  
"Gaz?!"  
  
"Zim, I'm so sorry. I'll have to put a rain check on our plans for like forever, 'kay?"  
  
Zim was stunned as Mal walked away with his crush. "I hate him!"  
  
  
"Now, Gaz," Mal had brought her back to his apartment. She was seated in a small chair as he shined a light into her face. Gaz didn't mind, she didn't even notice, she just continued to play with the diamond necklace. "Tell me everything you know about Zim."  
  
Some part of her tried to fight it, but she could not stop from telling him everything, "Zim came to earth five years ago..."  
  
  
  
That night Dib paced the hallway in his house. It was past midnight and Gaz still wasn't home. He was worried. Sure she pissed him off more than most, but little sisters are supposed to. And big brothers are supposed to protect them from alien brain suckers waiting out there in the dark.   
  
He grimaced and looked once again at the clock, which said it was only one minute past the last time he looked. Where could she be?!  
  
Dib picked up the phone and started to dial the police.   
  
Right at that moment Gaz walked in, looking wasted "Hi yaaa, Dib-by." She giggled, "How's my big bro doing this fine fine evenining?" She tripped and landed on the stairs that led upstairs to their bedrooms. "Opps..."  
  
"What did Zim do to you?!" Dib asked in an accusing tone.  
  
Gaz smirked, "Wasn't with Zimmmmmmm... Mal brought me to his house, we had fun, fun, fun... weeee!... and then all the way home." She climbed the stairs again.  
  
Dib watched her stumble getting to her bedroom. He had never seen her drunk before, "This. Is. Not. Good."  
  
  
  
Dib was getting breakfast before school the next morning, eating the most sugary cereal he could find.  
  
A blond walked into the kitchen and went to the refrigerator.   
  
"Who are you?" Dib jumped up into a false karate pose as soon as he noticed her, "And I warn you, I am highly adept at... Chu-fu... and.... um... Tim Buk Toe..."  
  
"Oh, brother dear," Gaz faced him and took a bite out of the apple she was having for breakfast. In a huge smile she asked, "Who ever do you think it would be?"  
  
"GAZ!" His jaw dropped. "It can't be you!"  
  
"Oh, you mean the new hairstyle," She swooshed her hair in the air, "Or do you mean the clothes? You know," She gestured to the pink sundress, "They're like all the rage... I decided to stop being a goth, it just wasn't spiritually fulfilling."  
  
"Wha--" Dib almost fell over in shock, "Are you a robot?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Clone?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"An experiment gone horribly horribly wrong?"  
  
"Nada."  
  
Dib scratched his head and walked out of the room. He sat down on the couch and turned on a video game.  
  
In a deep demonic voice Gaz growled, "But the GameSlave Station is still mine!" She picked her brother up with one hand, flung him across the room, and in a sweet childish voice added, "Thank you."  
  
Dib felt the bump forming on his head where it had hit the wall. "That was like the Pepsi commercial from hell!" How could his sister have gotten so strong? Without pausing to think of it he ran out of the room, afraid his sister might try another wrestling move on him.  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, Zimmy, zim, zim, zim!" Gir pounced up on his master's bed.  
  
Zim grunted softly and pulled the covers up over his head.  
  
"Master, you're going to be late to school," Gir held up a soggy paper bag, "I packed you a cupcake!"  
  
"I'm not going to school today Gir."  
  
"Awwwww... why?"  
  
"Because Gaz doesn't like me."  
  
"Awwwww... why?"  
  
"Because there's a new Dib-like person taking over."  
  
"Awwwww... why?" Gir was staring to sound like a toddler so Zim pushed him off the bed.  
  
"Fine. Fine.. Five more minutes, Gir," Zim said sleepily, "Then I'll prepare to meet my doom."  
  
"Doom, doom, doom, doom, doom," Gir started singing and walked out of the room.  
  
  
  
In school that day, Gaz avoided everyone except Mal, whom Dib was getting suspicious of. It was appallingly strange; Gaz had so drastically changed overnight. Except for one thing, her GameSlave. She was playing it even more these days, if that was possible.  
  
As the week wore on she had gotten sent to the principal's office no less than eight times for playing games in class.  
  
She had also become increasingly popular in the past week, Dib noted. Not a night went by when she didn't come home after midnight half delirious from her new boyfriends house. The cool kids now accepted her because they accepted Mal, its just the way things work in school.  
  
Zim had become increasingly despondent, Dib realized. He rarely came to class anymore, and he was late most of the time. He was back to begin friendless without Gaz to hang out with. In addition, he had become increasingly forgetful. Once he had come to class without one of his contacts in place, which he explained as an 'eye problem'. Of course everyone bought the lie. Except Dib, but they wouldn't listen to him anyway.  
  
The last straw in all of this for Dib came on Friday. Little Miss Popular came to him after school, dressed in a ridiculous orange and blue cheerleader costume.  
  
"Hey, Dib, just wanted to see if my best bro would wish me luck before I go try out for cheerleadng."  
  
"Cheerleading? You're a cheerleader now?!"  
  
"Isn't it neat?" Gaz smiled brightly, "Well, bye now." She ran over to where Mal was waiting and gave him a huge kiss.  
  
"Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick," Dib groaned as his sister went off to be one of the conforming sheep.  
  
"My sentiments exactly," Zim added, spooking Dib who had thought he was alone. "Mal's a Spoot-Spooty head!"  
  
"Spooty head?" Dib looked bewildered.   
  
"It's an Irken curse," The green boy shrugged.  
  
"Right," Dib grimaced and wondered what he was going to do about his sister.   
  
"Dib, are you pondering what I'm pondering?" Zim rubbed his hands together menacingly.  
  
"No, Zim, I rarely think about taking over the earth," Dib started to walk away but Zim called him back.  
  
"It seems we have a common enemy, Earth-beast. An Irken Invader is not above befriending an ally to rid himself of another even more menacing foe..."  
  
"Oh, god no. No. NO! There is no way I'm helping you E.T. Boy!"  
  
"Even if it will help you save your sister?" Zim smirked, he had him there. They were both stuck, they both knew it... but it was for Gaz.  
  
"I HATE MY LIFE!" Dib screamed out to whomever would listen. He kicked a locker and then nodded. "Fine, Zim, it seems I have no choice."  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED....  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Part 2: The Stake Out

Author's Notes: This is part 2 of many more. Remember to keep checking back because I'll be uploading new parts every other day.  
  
Disclaimer: See part 1.  
  
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS  
By Celtic Air  
  
Dib and Zim sat on the bleachers in the back of the school gym trying not to be seen. They had come there to spy on Gaz and see her cheerleader tryouts. Maybe she wouldn't make it on the team and then she would be pissed at the world and go back to her normal I-Hate-Everyone routine. Maybe.  
  
"You never told me why you hated Mal," Dib stated nonchalantly as he watched the tryouts taking place.   
  
Zim was staring at Gaz do some flips in the air bouncing up and down. He noticed how her chest was bounding up and down as well. "Uh... no reason." Zim was entranced by Gaz at the moment; maybe this cheerleader thing wasn't so bad after all. "Ah... I mean..." He shook his green head clear, "I hate pathetic paranormal losers!"  
  
Dib looked at Zim looking at his sister. Could it be? Maybe the weren't just teasing him. Maybe something was really going on. No! No way! Nothing was ever going to happen between the little green freak and his sister! At least not while he was alive.  
  
"I hate my life," Dib muttered to himself.  
  
An hour later the tryouts had ended. Dib overheard his sister's plans for the night. She was going to Mal's apartment yet again.   
  
So, Dib and Zim snuck out of the gym and decided their plans for the evening, mainly to continue spying on Gaz. But first a quick trip back to Dib's house to get a pair of binoculars.  
  
  
  
  
Dib waved a hand in front of Zim's blindfolded face. Dib didn't want Zim to know where he lived when they back to his house so they had come up with the blindfold deal. Dib was still was worried Zim had some kind of alien compass hidden away. "Can you see?"  
  
Zim walked into a stop sign. "Ow!"  
  
"I'll take that as a 'no'." Dib grinned to himself and pulled on Zim's shoulder, "Come on Hellen Keller, this way."  
  
  
  
  
On the way back to his house, Dib had done an okay job of leading Zim through the neighborhood, only letting him bump into things every so often.  
  
"Why do I have to wear this ridiculous blindfold?" Zim asked, "You already know where I live."  
  
"Yes, but I don't have laser activated lawn trolls!" Dib stopped himself, afraid he may have already said too much about his lack of defenses for his house.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
That night they continued their spying behind a couple of bushes by the apartment.  
  
"I don't see anything," Dib stated. Well, nothing out of the ordinary at least, nothing that he hadn't seen for the past hour. Just Gaz and Mal playing video games. Didn't she ever get tired of playing games? Especially when her life was at stake!   
  
"Give me those," Zim grabbed the binoculars from Dib; unfortunately the binoculars cord was still around Dib's neck.  
  
"Ah, Ow! Zim, your... choking... me!" Dib gasped for air.  
  
Zim didn't realize, or didn't care, he just continued to try and see... something, anything. "ARGH! I can't see a thing!" The alien ran a few feet away to get a better vantage point. With the binocular cord wrapped around his neck Dib had no choice but to follow.  
  
"Zim! Stop... choking... can't... breath... losing... oxygen..." Dib slapped him to get his attention.  
  
Zim looked down at the human. With a smirk he unwrapped the cord from Dib's neck. "Sorry."  
  
"Yeah, I bet you are," Dib grimaced as he slowly regained his normal breathing. "Do you see anything?"  
  
"No... oh, wait... maybe... uh-oh!"  
  
"Uh-oh?!"  
  
"Run!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Run!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"We've been spotted!"   
  
"Aw, shit!"   
  
Dib and Zim frantically ran off the property as fast as their legs could carry them. Security dogs were right behind, and they looked hungry. They made it over to the fence and climbed it quickly, thankfully able to escape but the spying was over for the night.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Mal closed the blinds as he watched the two bumbling idiots make it to safety. "Gaz, has your brother been bothering you lately? Getting into your business?"  
  
"Whatever do you mean, my dearest love?" Gaz was still playing video games. They were some incredibly cool ones not out on the market yet. She'd only heard of them through word of mouth, through Mal.  
  
"Has he been asking about me?"  
  
"A little."  
  
Mal watched as Gaz got further and further hooked into the game. The plan seemed to be working so well for the past week, and then tonight they had had two 'visitors'. "Well, I'll just have to take care of this one minute problem, and then I'll be able to take over the world." He sat back down next to Gaz.   
  
"Won't that be nice, dear," Gaz leaned on his shoulder, happily.  
  
  
  
  
"I thought tonight went well," Zim didn't like to dwell on the realities of failed plans.  
  
"Yeah, it was just perfect!" Dib meanwhile was just a bit more upset. They sat in McMeaties eating a late dinner... or what was considered dinner around here. "You just had to get us caught, didn't you!"  
  
"It's not my fault your earth-based products are so inferior!" Zim examined the broken binoculars, they had been smashed while trying to escape. "Next time we'll use Irken technology."  
  
"We're just lucky there is a next time! Those dogs were out for my blood!"  
  
"Will you relax, earth-scum?!"  
  
"Fine! Fine! You almost get us killed and then you tell me to relax!" Dib paused. "I'll be at your house tomorrow at five o'clock, Gaz should be at Mal's by then and we can continue our mission... just be sure you turn off the troll laser beam-y things before I get there."  
  
Zim chuckled, "Oh don't worry, I will."  
  
"I mean it Zim! I really don't have any desire to be burnt to a crisp anytime soon!" Dib got up and left. They would reconvene tomorrow and fix everything. Hopefully.   
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
  
Author's Random Babble: Oh! I saw "Evolution" yesterday with 7 of my friends. Cool alien movie, ugly but cute little alien buggers. Kept wanting Zim to show up, oh darn. Still, I think the best part of the movie was the coming attractions for American Pie 2, when hey showed Alyson Hannigan on screen and I yelled "WILLOW!" at the top of my voice. Heehee!   
  
  



	3. Part 3

NOTHING ELSE MATTERS  
By Vixen  
Part 3  
PS. Sorry it took so long to get this out, the next part will be up momentarily.  
  
The next day at precisely five o'clock, according to his black spy watch, Dib arrived on Zim's doorstop. Thankfully, the laser armored lawn gnomes had been deactivated. At least Zim was taking this mission seriously, Dib thought, enough to let down his guard.  
  
The doorbell rang throughout the house and Dib heard the scamper of feet as they hurried towards the door. It opened and a small green dog-type-creature greeted appeared in the doorway.  
  
In a carefully rehearsed voice the dog said, "Whatever... you're selling... we don't want it!" and slammed the door shut in Dib's face.  
  
The teenager stood there stunned for a brief moment until the door reopened.  
  
"Got any Choco-chocolate?"  
  
"You must be... Gir." Dib recalled Gaz saying something about Zim's 'pet'.   
  
"May--be..."  
  
Dib was amused; Zim was never going to make it in the conquering game if he had lackeys like this. "Why did you shut the door in my face, Gir?"  
  
"Because master said not to buy anymore garbage, but I like garbage... it's fun to roll in." Without a pause or hesitation, Gir started rolling on the floor with shouts of "Whee" every so often.  
  
Dib carefully stepped over the threshold, taking in his surroundings, "Zim, are you here? ZIM! Hello?"  
  
"There you are, earth-beast, you're late." Zim appeared in the kitchen doorway after taking the trash shout up to the first floor.  
  
"You're... um... dog, he wouldn't let me in."  
  
Zim sighed to himself and shook his head; he was surrounded by idiots. "That doesn't matter now. Hurry up, we have plans to solidify, annoying Mal type people to destroy, planet to conquer..." Zim stopped himself, "Well not so much for you on that last one."  
  
"Or you if I have anything to say about it." Dib said through clenched teeth.   
  
They traveled down into the bowels of Zim's house, down into the central computer room. On any other day Zim would have tried to kill Dib before letting him in here, but he didn't have any choice now. Gaz was in trouble and nothing else mattered.  
  
Dib pivoted around, eyes darting to the pink and green Irkan technology. To be honest, it scared him, it sent a cool shiver down his spin. This was the center of evil in his eyes, to a lesser extent than Mal, but still evil. This was where Zim plotted to take over the world; this is what he had to stop. He had to stop himself from crashing the whole thing to pieces, fight back the fighting instinct and just go along with Zim's plan.   
  
He had to trust his enemy.   
  
He had to trust somebody.   
  
Why oh why did it have to be Zim, he asked himself a million times, but that didn't matter now. The only important thing was getting Gaz to safety and obliterating Mal.  
  
Zim led him to a small spaceship, a voot runner-- that's what Zim had called it. "Come on, get in."   
  
Dib hoped into the craft with Zim and amazement took over as they took off. He was in an actual spaceship now, befriending an alien, and life suddenly felt really weird.   
  
  
An hour later Dim and Zim sat in the voot runner hovering over Mal's apartment, Dim still couldn't get over his shock and awe as the ship worked it's magic. He was consciously trying to remember everything he could about the ship so that he could go back and tell all the paranormal sciences about it. He could share this information with the world, or maybe just hold it for blackmail against Zim.   
  
Zim was looking through a telescope projection thingy and starring at Gaz. Zim had given her the same look in the gym while they were watching the cheerleader try-outs. The big brother part of Dib and the anti-aliens part combined to form a quiet anger that stirred in him. Still, maybe it was nothing. Maybe he just couldn't read aliens facial emotions.   
  
Dib stopped staring angrily at Zim and glanced through the open window to Gaz. She was playing video games yet again...and lying on Mal's shoulder. He so desperately wanted to save her from this, he knew it wasn't what she wanted... but then why was she acting this way, what was controlling her? He had no answers at the moment.  
  
"If only there was a way to get Gaz away from Mal, then maybe I could get her to stop this stupid cheerleader nonsense, I could get through to her."  
  
" I may have an idea." Zim's green face turned up in a weird smile.   
  
"Does it involve killing anyone? Not that I'm against killing Mal at this point, but if there was any form of murder involved in your plan I'd like to know. Just so I can pick out a nice jail cell before you SCREW UP THE PLAN!"  
  
"Oh, no, it's a good plan. It'll work, I bet the whole Irken Armada on it."  
  
"Oh, great, the inept Irken invader has a plan... and just how many of your supposed plans have gone wrong in the past?"  
  
"Better than yours, earth-beast."  
  
"You know, I'm getting just a little tired of you calling me that," Dib raised his voice, slamming his hand on the ship's console.   
  
Then the chaos erupted. The ship lurched up in the air, spun in a crazy circle as the engines sputtered and coughed.  
  
"What did you do to my ship?!"  
  
Dib spoke in a quiet guilty voice, "I think I hit the little red button."  
  
"St-up...id hu-ma...n.." The Irken was being thrown around the cockpit so much that he couldn't speak straight. He tried to get control of the spacecraft but it was too little too late, they were going down. There was a small pond a few yards away, if Zim could get there to land... or at least crash not so much.  
  
Dib pressed his hands against the windshield as they started to descend rapidly into the cold waters of the lake. He muttered a quick prayer to whoever was listening and then they hit the surface. The ship automatically sunk a few feet, and the water started to come through any available openings.   
  
Zim smashed the windshield, and Dib held his breath while the water gushed in. Then he swam as fast as he could.  
  
Dib coughed as he reached the top of the water and inhaled some much-needed oxygen. "Zim, Zim are you okay? Where are you?"  
  
Then the pale boy saw the alien lying on the banks of the lake.   
  
Dib swam to the shore and rose from out of the water, and walked onto the land, peering over Zim, "Are you okay?"  
  
Zim was covered in blisters from the allergy his skin had to the earth's water. "Of course I'm not okay, Dib, I'm in intense agonizing excruciating pain."  
  
"Oh, um, anything I can do to help?"  
  
Zim sat up, suddenly the pain not affecting him as much... maybe he was going into shock. "No, just let me handle Mal. I'll get Gaz away from him and then you can confront her... do we have a deal earthling?"  
  
Dib thought about it. He would have to trust Zim to take care of this, to take care of his sister. Could he really do that? He looked down at the alien who was checking his blistering skin. The alien didn't seem so terrible anymore, well one of the lesser evils at least. With slow consideration he nodded, "Deal."  
  
  
  
It was noon when Dib received the call down to the principal's office. Oh great, he thought, this is it, Zim's fucked up and we're going to jail.   
  
Dib approached the principal's office. He had to fight back a strong urge to run before going in, it wouldn't help to assume guilt already, that would just look.. guilty.  
  
"Mr. Johensen?" Dib asked as he entered the office. "You wanted to see me?"  
  
"Dib, yes, I was wondering if you would like to meet with a psychiatrist to talk about what happened to your sister last night?" The principal looked like he was expecting Dib to break out into tears any moment.  
  
"What happened to her?"  
  
"Ah, yes, you're obviously in denial."  
  
"What happened!"  
  
A grimace crossed Mr. Johensen's face, "Calm down, young man, we're here to help you through this difficult time."   
  
"Look," Dib was getting increasingly anxious as the conversation progressed, "Just tell me what happened, please."   
  
"Oh, you really don't know, do you?" Mr. Johensen shuffled some papers nervously while muttering about the American family these days, "Dib, your sister is being held in the Psychiatrist's Sacred Youth Center & Home Organization."  
  
"My sister's in the nut house!"  
  
  
  
  
It was a few hours and a couple of skool counselors later that Dib finally made his way to the Institution. He was getting increasingly irritated by having to prove his sanity today. Geez, just because his sister had gone insane didn't mean that he would. Not that his sister had even gone insane, Dib noted to himself, that was just probably part of Zim's plan.   
  
The nurse let him into Gaz's room and Dib neared her bed. Gaz was sleeping, the nurses said she was highly aggressive and had to be shot up with morphine to protect herself, she'd be resting for a few more hours.   
  
Dib sat uncomfortably on the visitor's chair. "Gaz, come on, this isn't like you..." The words fell on deaf ears. "I.. I don't know what to do... I'm actually working with Zim -- can you believe that?" He pulled his black duster closer, feeling a chill in the air. "I promise you I'm gonna get you back... I kinda miss having you yell at me all the time."   
  
He couldn't sit here anymore and watch her not answer him so Dib got up and walked out of the room. Zim was sitting in the waiting room; he'd been waiting for Gaz to wake up ever since he brought her here.  
  
Dib felt the anger that had been threatened to explode all day and now it was all aimed at the alien. Dib grabbed Zim by the shirt with two fists. "This was your great plan, Zim? Get my sister committed to the nut house?" He pushed the alien up against the wall; "This was a trick, wasn't it? You were working with him, weren't you?" Dib threw the green boy down, and Zim slid down the wall with the propelled force.   
  
Zim continued to sit on the ground, well out of reach while Dib started to pace angrily.  
  
"I should have seen it, I should have seen it! You and Mal, you were working behind my back this whole time."  
  
"That's a lie, earth-scum! Mal will DIE and I do not work with losers like that spooty head!"  
  
Dib stopped pacing and looked down at the alien, "And just why should I believe anything you say, Zim?"  
  
"Because... because I love your sister."  
  
Dib looked shocked... and then he looked nauseated, "You what?"  
  
"I love her, Dib. I always have." Zim picked himself up off the floor and stood tall, expecting another blow from the earthling. "I think it's why I always fall so MISERABLY in taking over this miserable stink planet."  
  
Dib took in a breath, pausing to consider this new revelation. It hadn't really been a surprise. There had been plenty of signs he had been all too willing to ignore, "Do you think we have a chance to destroy him?"  
  
Zim nodded, "The best of both worlds going up against one stupid vile despicable Mal alien? We'll OBLITERATE him!"  
  
"Come on then," Dib turned to leave the hospital. There had been a crowd gathering while Zim and him fought, but he just ignored them. Zim followed the earthling out the doors.   
  
It was time for vengeance.   
  
...CONTINUED IN PART 4...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. THE END! Whoo- Hoo!

NOTHING ELSE MATTERS  
Part 4  
By Vixen  
Notes: Ta-Da! *takes a final bow* I am done! *passes out and falls asleep*  
  
  
Dib and Zim sat in a subway car; they didn't have any idea where they were going. They only knew they were looking for Mal. Most likely this search was unwarranted because Mal would find them faster.   
  
"What did you say in the hospital?" Dib asked, breaking the silence.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You said Mal was an alien."  
  
"Oh, I forgot to tell you?" Zim knew he was in trouble for not sharing information. "I always forget that your inferior human brains can't mind read."  
  
Dib gave him a quick glance, did that mean Irkens were telepathic. Whatever. It didn't matter now.  
  
"When I ran into Mal and Gaz last night I took some of his DNA." Zim looked over at his colleague. "My highly advanced Irken technology confirmed that Mal is indeed an alien. From the planet Golrich," His eyes darkened, "An old enemy of the Irk."  
  
"So? What are their weaknesses? What about strengths? Habits? Fighting Tactics? Technology?" Dib had a million and one questions, none of which Zim knew the answer of. The alien never involved himself with the Golrich tribes; they were too plebeian to require much study.   
  
"I don't know why he's here, but whatever his VILE reasons for disrupting my conquering of this repulsive planet..."  
  
Dib was staring at him.  
  
Zim gave him an equally cold stare back, "I may be in love with your sister, but I'm still an Irken Invader. That won't change."  
  
"Fine. Then I'll still continue to try to expose the truth about you to the world."  
  
"Agreed, Earth-Slug."  
  
Dib shook his head, "I can't believe you like my sister. It's just..." He shuddered.  
  
Suddenly, the subway car stopped short. People were jostled out of their chairs; packages and bags went flying. Dib stood up, grabbing a handrail. His eyes darted from the back of the car, to the front and to the back again.  
  
"What now?" Dib muttered. He looked over to where Zim was standing. Obviously, the green kid didn't know either.   
  
"Attention people of Earth, Attention people of Earth." Came a voice over the loud speaker, somehow Dib knew it wasn't the driver speaking. The driver was probably dead by now. "I am looking for a green alien and a rather pale earthling wearing a trenchcoat. If you give these two up, I will allow the rest of you to leave and go about you ordinary dim lives. If you do not I will kill each and every human being on this train. I'll let you decide."  
  
The crowd was scared by now, frightened and willing to do anything to save their own lives.   
  
Zim started running towards the exit, assuming that Dib would follow.   
  
But the earthling couldn't. Well, that was partly because the crowd was gathering in around the two of them by this point, also partly because of his protective instincts. "I can't do it Zim."  
  
"Are you crazy, Earth-beast? You can't fight him yet. You'll die trying."  
  
"I'm still going." The crowd separated for him, allowing him to go forward towards the engine car.  
  
Zim sighed as he watched Dib go. After a moment's thought he decided to join the fight. "Let me pass, Earth-creeps!" They parted like the Red Sea for him. Hey, he thought, maybe I'll at least get to see Mal pummel Dib.  
  
People were starting to file out the doors of the subway onto the tracks, getting off before something happened. Mal had allowed the doors to open once he saw in the surveillance cameras that the two were coming to him. What did he care about the other earthlings for, after a few weeks they would be Golrich fodder anyway.   
  
"Do you have a plan?" Zim asked, catching up with Dib.  
  
"No... I'm making this up as I go along."  
  
"And what will you do when he kills you, oh Plan-less One?"  
  
"Hey, you're the Irken Invader, you come up with a plan!"  
  
"How about we throw you at him, hope he gets distracted while I escape?" Zim asked hopefully with a smirk.  
  
Dib glared at him for a second before the engine room doors blew up in an explosion. "Holy shit," Dib screamed at the force of the explosion sent him flying into the walls. "And may I just add: Ouch."  
  
"I always did love dramatic entrances." Mal stood before them.   
  
"Big entrance for such a small INSIGNIFICANT actor," Zim spat back, picking himself up from the floor.  
  
Mal smiled at him, "By the way, how's Gaz? Oh, how I miss that little strumpet. She told me everything, you know? She gave you up, Zim." He snapped his fingers, "Like that."  
  
"She doesn't know enough to bother with," Zim shot out.  
  
"Yeah," Dib added, "There was no reason to brainwash her, turn her into a perky little cheerleader. So, the only thing I can assume is that you did it just to PISS ME OFF. You really don't want to be around me when I'm pissed off, Mal."  
  
Mal laughed, "But you-- you're just a human."  
  
Zim narrowed his eyes, "Some alien-to-alien advice: Trust him, Golrich-WORM. He may be a human but he's a formidable one. He's kept me on my toes all these years."  
  
Dib was surprised by Zim's words. Did he really mean that? "Yeah, and you're not only taking on an earthling, you're taking on an Irken Invader too." The earthling grinned maliciously, "Zim'll kick your ass."   
  
"I can't believe this! I can't believe this! I'm taking threats from an earthling and an Irken reject. Oh, please, the only way you could possibly kill me is if I fall on my own gun."  
  
Dib smiled. So, that was the way. One of the things that could kill the alien menace. Only problem was that it was holstered on Mal's hip. Wonderful, just peachy. This was never going to work. Dib only hoped they picked out a good epitaph for him: 'Dib, he saved the world. A lot.'   
  
"So, what are you going to do? Kill us?"  
  
"Well, you I'll kill," Mal drew his gun and pointed it at Dib, then waved it at Zim, "But they want the little green one alive, don't ask me why... something about tests and experiments. We'll conquer the Irk next; we need to find their weaknesses. Hmm... should be fun, I would love to watch but I've got a whole planet to rule."  
  
Zim barreled into the other alien, knocking Mal to the floor, "Earth belong to THE IRK, Golrich-Slug!"  
  
Dib quickly moved and maneuvered his way over to the gun that Mal had dropped in the fight. Zim was pummeling the alien with punches that weren't doing much but keeping Mal distracted.  
  
"Take that, and that," Zim threw his ineffective punches. He wasn't much for hand to hand combat, he would have much rather have waited and used his wits to solve this situation. But it was too late for that now.  
  
"Zim, get off him." Dib said as he held the gun up. "I'll finish this."  
  
The green one stopped and stood up. Mal stayed where he was, slightly dazed from Zim's assault, and slightly worried that the earthling now held the only thing that could kill him, a Tontonium ray. "You won't use that."  
  
Dib aimed. "I won't?"  
  
"You lower races don't know a thing about ray guns, why don't you just hand it back to the nice homicidal maniac before you get hurt, huh?" Mal had a smile like Hannibal Lector.  
  
A bitter laugh escaped Dib's mouth, "You destroyed my little sister, you son of a bitch. I really don't think I'm going to let you walk."  
  
"Good, because I'm not going anywhere. This planet is ours. Our armies will be coming. Earth will be no more." Mal grinned, "Even if you do kill me."  
  
There were a bunch of buttons and levers on the ray gun; each one Dib was fiddling with, trying to activate the damn thing when the magic button was finally pressed. Dib flew across the small cabin as the ray gun shot out a deadly bolt. It was too powerful to control, as it sliced through the walls and left the subway car looking like Swiss cheese.  
  
Zim grabbed on to the gun and helped guide it towards where Mal was hiding in the corner. It hit the alien so hard that liquid spurted everywhere. Blood. Alien blood.  
  
Then as quickly as the gun had started, it shut down. Dib chucked it down on the ground as it cooled off. Then he wiped the alien goop from off his glasses. Ewww, he thought as he turned towards Zim.   
  
"We did it?" Zim looked about ready to pass out. "We did it!"  
  
"Yeah, Zim, we did." Dib held out a hand.   
  
Zim shook it tentatively. "Irken Invaders never lose!" He paused, "They're coming back for more, the Golrich armies..."  
  
"We'll be ready for them." Dib sat in silence for a moment, letting some of the stress of the past few weeks pass away. "We'll be ready."  
  
  
  
A nurse let them into Gaz's room, visiting hours would soon be over.   
  
Dib had been hopeful that there would be some change in his sister when they returned from destroying Mal. There wasn't any. At least she was awake now, or maybe that wasn't really a good thing. The nurses had to restrain her when she woke up; Gaz had been very aggressively going on about needing to be with Mal.   
  
Zim sat by her side while Dib just stood in the corner. What now?   
  
"Gaz?" Zim looked at her.   
  
"Don't speak to me, green boy. You killed him, didn't you? You did it. You did it! You killed my love. I hate you. I HATE YOU! Why won't they let me out of here? Why won't they let me go? I want out of here, do you hear me?!" Gaz grimaced at her brother, and started to cry, "Dib, they won't let me go. I can't stay here, I hate it here... You have to make them... you have to make them let me go, please Dib."  
  
Her brother just crossed his arms, trying not to let the state she was in get to him. "I can't do that, Gaz."  
  
"I hate you! I hate you all! You did this to me... you tricked me, and trapped me..." Gaz closed her eyes, trying to block everyone out.  
  
"Did Mal give this to you, Gaz?" Zim noticed the stone she wore around her neck.  
  
Gaz's eyes shot open as she frantically began to yell, "Touch that and you die, Zim!"  
  
Zim ignored her incessant screams of curses, grabbed the necklace and yanked it off. The stone began to burn in his hand, so he hastily threw it into the metal wastebasket on the side of the room.   
  
"What was that?" Dib was shocked, and just a bit more hopeful.   
  
"Alternity Crystal. A brainwashing mechanism from the Golrich sector." Zim held his burnt hand, trying to cool it off. "Hey, Gaz, are you all right?"  
  
Gaz gasped, "Where is he? Where is that little mind-twisting twerp?" The memories of her possession were flooding back into her head. "He made me wear pink!" She shuddered.  
  
"Mal's dead, Gaz," Dib told her in a deadpan voice, sparing her the details that another army was coming to Earth.  
  
Zim was busy taking off her restraints.  
  
Her blond-dyed hair fell across her face, a remnant of her possession. She sighed, "Fine. Then... just take me home."   
  
"Oh, uh, right," Dib left the room to go find a nurse and fill out the paperwork. "Be right back."  
  
And then there were two.  
  
The memories of what Gaz had done to Zim were filling her thoughts at the moment. They were supposed to have had their first semi-date-like-thing right before her possession interrupted things. "Zim... I'm sorry."  
  
The alien didn't know what to say. Gaz? Apologizing? This was unprecedented!  
  
The teenage girl sat in the bed, trying to come up with some way to make up for everything. And then it hit her.  
  
She grabbed Zim and kissed him.   
  
It was amazing. Gaz thought she could see stars, and futures, and destinies. Then she mentally smacked herself for being so mushy. And yet a part of her didn't care.  
  
Zim also was experiencing total bliss, it washed over him and made all the part few weeks of effort meaningless and meaningful at the same time. It was a heck of a battle getting to this point, where Gaz was safe in his arms, but it was so worth it.   
  
At that moment Dib walked into the room, "Oh god, I think I'm going to be sick."   
  
Gaz and Zim didn't even stop, just waved him away.   
  
Dib was staring at the ceiling, trying not to see his nemesis and sister making out, "I filled out the paperwork, so if you want to leave now would be a good time."  
  
The two lovers broke away. Gaz climbed out of the bed and grabbed Zim's hand as they walked out together.  
  
  
  
As the trio walked back home, stopping first at a convenience store to get some Manic Panic purple hair dye for Gaz, Dib continually make mock-gagging noises at the two of them.  
  
"Dib?" Gaz stopped and smiled at him.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Quit it." She stomped on his foot and walked away while Zim laughed.  
  
Dib couldn't be happier as he caught up to them, "See, there's the Gaz that I know and love."  
  
"You actually worked together?" Gaz turned to the two guys, "Like not trying to mutilate each other, or anything?"  
  
Zim and Dib glanced at each other, new but still uneasy allies. They would never be friends but this came as close as possible.  
  
"Weird." Gaz laughed.   
  
Everything was back to semi-normal  
  
... for now at least.   
  
THE END  



End file.
